1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Zoot Suit. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
The play begins in the summer of 1943 during World War II in Los Angeles, which has a heavy Mexican-American population. Members of the 38th Street Gang are "Zoot Suiters," which was a term that described a style of dress that Mexican-American men typically wore in that time. Zoot suits were loose-fitting suits with long coats, and they were typically associated with gangsters during the 1940s. The play presents two rival gangs: the 38th Street Gang (protagonists), and the Downey Gang (antagonists).
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
The intrusion occurs when the gang is arrested for the Sleep Lagoon murder. Henry, the leader, and 21 other members of the 38th Street Gang were arrested for the murder, even though the 38th Street Gang was not responsible for the murder. In this moment, everything begins to change, not just for the lives of the 38th Street Gang members, but for the lives of all Mexican-Americans as well. The Zoot Suit riots begin not long after the Sleepy Lagoon murder.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
This is the day that the gang has been arrested for the Sleepy Lagoon murder, and shortly after the Zoot Suit riots begin.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrustion.)
Will the 38th Street Gang be able to be proven innocent of the murder? What will happen to the Mexican-American culture as a result of the zoot suit riots in Los Angeles?
5. Use Henry to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Wedding Band the wants of Julia are in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a charcter. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles.
Henry is involved in many conflicts throughout the play. First, as the leader of the 38th Street Gang, he is in constant conflict with the rival gang, the Downey Gang. Henry also faces conflict with the law. He and his gang are falsely accused of the Sleepy Lagoon murder, he is constantly in conflict with the prejudiced judicial system. Henry also faces a conflict against society. Although he is in prison when the zoot suit riots begin, Henry's culture is being protested throughout the riots. Finally, Henry faces much inner conflict, as seen through the character of El Pachuco, who represents Henry's consciousness. El Pachuco is a very proud zoot suiter, and he often convinces Henry that anyone who is not also a zoot suiter is a threat. For example, El Pachuco does not trust the gang's lawyer, George, because he is white. El Pachuco also does not want Henry to participate in World War II because he does not believe Henry should have to sacrifice for a country that continues to treat him as less than equal.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Zoot Suit. There are more than one.
One theatrical moment occurs when the gang is arrested for the Sleepy Lagoon murder. The gang is not responsible for the murder, and the audience can see in the arrest just how unfairly the Mexican-American population is treated by law enforcement in this time. Another theatrical moment occurs when Della is testifying as a witness to the Sleepy Lagoon murder. Again, the audience sees how the government places strong prejudice against the zoot suiters. Another theatrical moment occurs when El Pachuco is stripped of his zoot suit. This scene is a powerful representation of the tragic reality Mexican-Americans faced every day.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Zoot Suit. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
One image seen in this play is the Zoot Suit itself. The zoot suit represents the Mexican-American culture in Los Angeles, and when El Pachuco is stripped of his zoot suit, the audience sees a powerful representation of the law enforcement's attempt to destroy this culture. Another image can be seen in El Pachuco himself. This character represents the conscience of Henry, but he also represents the pride that the Mexican-American culture possesses. When El Pachuco is attacked and stripped of his zoot suit, the action is taken as a direct attack on the culture. The zoot suit and El Pachuco are similar in that they both represent a proud element of the Mexican-American culture in Los Angeles. Another image is seen in the press. The press was responsible to record facts, but they also reported opinions. Often times, these opinions were reported as facts. The press understood that their reports would shape the opinions of society, and throughout the case, the press persuades the people against the 38th street gang. The press represents the unfair prejudice that the Mexican-Americans had to face every day.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Zoot Suit.
Themes of discrimination, prejudice, and injustice are all explored in this play. Throughout the Sleepy Lagoon murder case, the judicial system showed injustice against the gang simply because of their culture. The press also attacks the culture throughout the case, which was a possible cause of the zoot suit riots. With the press influencing the public to hate the Mexican-American culture, they probably influenced the attacks against that culture.
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Zoot Suit?
The 38th Street Gang is a family of its own. They were very close, which is why so many of them were arrested for the Sleepy Lagoon murder. Through the gang's unity, they are able to get through this very difficult time together.
The play begins in the summer of 1943 during World War II in Los Angeles, which has a heavy Mexican-American population. Members of the 38th Street Gang are "Zoot Suiters," which was a term that described a style of dress that Mexican-American men typically wore in that time. Zoot suits were loose-fitting suits with long coats, and they were typically associated with gangsters during the 1940s. The play presents two rival gangs: the 38th Street Gang (protagonists), and the Downey Gang (antagonists).
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
The intrusion occurs when the gang is arrested for the Sleep Lagoon murder. Henry, the leader, and 21 other members of the 38th Street Gang were arrested for the murder, even though the 38th Street Gang was not responsible for the murder. In this moment, everything begins to change, not just for the lives of the 38th Street Gang members, but for the lives of all Mexican-Americans as well. The Zoot Suit riots begin not long after the Sleepy Lagoon murder.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
This is the day that the gang has been arrested for the Sleepy Lagoon murder, and shortly after the Zoot Suit riots begin.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrustion.)
Will the 38th Street Gang be able to be proven innocent of the murder? What will happen to the Mexican-American culture as a result of the zoot suit riots in Los Angeles?
5. Use Henry to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Wedding Band the wants of Julia are in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a charcter. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles.
Henry is involved in many conflicts throughout the play. First, as the leader of the 38th Street Gang, he is in constant conflict with the rival gang, the Downey Gang. Henry also faces conflict with the law. He and his gang are falsely accused of the Sleepy Lagoon murder, he is constantly in conflict with the prejudiced judicial system. Henry also faces a conflict against society. Although he is in prison when the zoot suit riots begin, Henry's culture is being protested throughout the riots. Finally, Henry faces much inner conflict, as seen through the character of El Pachuco, who represents Henry's consciousness. El Pachuco is a very proud zoot suiter, and he often convinces Henry that anyone who is not also a zoot suiter is a threat. For example, El Pachuco does not trust the gang's lawyer, George, because he is white. El Pachuco also does not want Henry to participate in World War II because he does not believe Henry should have to sacrifice for a country that continues to treat him as less than equal.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Zoot Suit. There are more than one.
One theatrical moment occurs when the gang is arrested for the Sleepy Lagoon murder. The gang is not responsible for the murder, and the audience can see in the arrest just how unfairly the Mexican-American population is treated by law enforcement in this time. Another theatrical moment occurs when Della is testifying as a witness to the Sleepy Lagoon murder. Again, the audience sees how the government places strong prejudice against the zoot suiters. Another theatrical moment occurs when El Pachuco is stripped of his zoot suit. This scene is a powerful representation of the tragic reality Mexican-Americans faced every day.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Zoot Suit. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
One image seen in this play is the Zoot Suit itself. The zoot suit represents the Mexican-American culture in Los Angeles, and when El Pachuco is stripped of his zoot suit, the audience sees a powerful representation of the law enforcement's attempt to destroy this culture. Another image can be seen in El Pachuco himself. This character represents the conscience of Henry, but he also represents the pride that the Mexican-American culture possesses. When El Pachuco is attacked and stripped of his zoot suit, the action is taken as a direct attack on the culture. The zoot suit and El Pachuco are similar in that they both represent a proud element of the Mexican-American culture in Los Angeles. Another image is seen in the press. The press was responsible to record facts, but they also reported opinions. Often times, these opinions were reported as facts. The press understood that their reports would shape the opinions of society, and throughout the case, the press persuades the people against the 38th street gang. The press represents the unfair prejudice that the Mexican-Americans had to face every day.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Zoot Suit.
Themes of discrimination, prejudice, and injustice are all explored in this play. Throughout the Sleepy Lagoon murder case, the judicial system showed injustice against the gang simply because of their culture. The press also attacks the culture throughout the case, which was a possible cause of the zoot suit riots. With the press influencing the public to hate the Mexican-American culture, they probably influenced the attacks against that culture.
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Zoot Suit?
The 38th Street Gang is a family of its own. They were very close, which is why so many of them were arrested for the Sleepy Lagoon murder. Through the gang's unity, they are able to get through this very difficult time together.